Richard L. (Dick) Thornburgh was born in Pittsburgh on July 16, 1932, the son
of Charles G. and Alice Sanborn Thornburgh. He attended Pittsburgh area schools
then Yale University where he earned a degree in engineering in 1954. Thornburgh
completed a law degree with honors from the University of Pittsburgh in 1957 and,
in 1958, became a member of the Pennsylvania Bar. He soon joined the law firm
of Kirkpatrick and Lockhart.

While a practicing attorney Thornburgh was
active in Pittsburghs civic affairs and made his first attempt at public
office by unsuccessfully running for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1966.
He served as a delegate to Pennsylvanias constitutional convention in 1967-1968
and advocated inclusion of local government home-rule provisions in the revised
document. In 1969 the Nixon Administration appointed him as U.S. Attorney for
the Western District of Pennsylvania when he earned a reputation as an anti-racketeering
prosecutor and enforcer of the federal Organized Crime Control Act. Thornburgh
held the U.S. Attorneys post until 1975 when President Ford appointed him
Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Departments Criminal Division.
He held the post until early 1977 when he returned to private law practice.

Thornburgh
then launched a campaign for the governors office; an open seat in 1978
as two-term governor Milton Shapp was unable to succeed himself. Thornburgh secured
the primary in a race that included Philadelphian Arlen Specter, but was an underdog
against Democratic opponent and Pittsburgh Mayor Peter Flaherty. Like Republicans
in an earlier era, Democrats had built a solid base in Pennsylvania. Since 1960
statewide Democratic voter registration outpaced the GOP. The gap continued to
widen through the 1960s and 1970s and by the time of the 1978 gubernatorial election
Democrats held a 900,000-registrant edge. Added to Thornburghs difficulties
was his own polling that showed him down by thirty-two points about six months
before the general election.

In an effort to gain an edge Thornburgh put
together a highly organized campaign, raised money, and identified several key
campaign themes; ethical and clean government leading among them. This issue resonated
well with voters as over 230 officials at all levels of public service in the
Keystone State had been convicted of, admitted to, or pleaded no contest to corruption
charges between 1970 and 1978 including several individuals in the Shapp Administration.
Thornburgh also promised fiscal integrity, another important issue in a state
that faced a sliding credit rating and an insolvency approximating $100 million.
The GOP candidate challenged Flahertys record as Mayor, focused campaign
efforts in the East where he was lesser known, and ran with lieutenant governor
candidate William W. Scranton, III, whose well-known father had served as governor
from 1963 to 1967. Thornburgh also courted non-traditional supporters including
organized labor, black and Jewish voters, and Democrats dissatisfied with their
party. Despite Flahertys counter efforts, Thornburgh won the governorship
by a 228,000- vote margin. He won reelection on November 2, 1982 by about 100,000
votes against Democrat Allen Ertel.

A troubled economy plagued Thornburgh
from the outset as the state continued its transition away from heavy industry
and manufacturing. One quip had it that the national economy caught a cold;
Pennsylvania came down with pneumonia. The steel industry was particularly
hard hit by foreign imports and the relocation of domestic mills. Tens of thousands
of union jobs were lost, remaining workers faced wage cuts, and in the Pittsburgh
metro area alone the industrys workforce dropped from 41,500 in 1979 to
19,000 in 1983. When U.S. Steel announced the full or partial closing of 28 facilities
in the United States in late 1983, thousands of people in areas like the Monongahela
Valley faced long-term unemployment. With the closing of apparel, textile, and
other manufacturing facilities, some areas saw double-digit unemployment rates.

In response Thornburgh launched the Ben Franklin Partnership, a well-received
alliance between government, private industry, and research universities to foster
high-tech enterprises. A Small Business Action Center was created and funding
for the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) was quadrupled to
attract new employers. The Commonwealth also implemented a customized job training
program, a new travel and tourism initiative, and a $20 billion infrastructure
improvement program. By the end of his term Thornburgh lay claim to creating 500,000
new jobs, most in service and technology. A reflection of the states economic
woes remained evident, however, in its unemployment compensation program that
had incurred a record $2.7 billion deficit by the early 1980s. Gradual economic
improvements and statutory amendments reversed the funds negative cash flow
by 1984, though its debt would not be eliminated until 1988.

The administrations
fiscal policies resulted in balanced budgets, cuts to both personal and corporate
income taxes, creation of a rainy day fund, and reductions to the
Commonwealths long-term indebtedness resulting in better credit ratings.
Along with other cost-cutting measures about 15,000 positions were eliminated
from the state bureaucracy during his tenure; a move that yielded both lean budgets
and criticism from public sector workers and organized labor. There was little
disagreement, however, about a new state employees code of conduct.

Thornburgh
also consolidated state-owned universities into an independent State System of
Higher Education and created several Governors Schools for exceptional
high school students. Energy remained high on the agenda as well. In an era of
gasoline lines and public skepticism about nuclear energy, the Commonwealth established
an Energy Development Authority and examined alternative energy technologies.
Revitalizing the coal industry was even explored, though the idea never progressed
nor did Thornburghs plan to dismantle the states liquor control system.

The most significant event during Thornburghs tenure was the nuclear
accident at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg. On March 28, 1979, equipment malfunctions
and operator error resulted in a partial meltdown of Unit Twos reactor core.
Several days of uncertainty about the accidents severity followed. With
the guidance of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Thornburgh was able
to assess the situation. He ordered a limited evacuation and proved effective
at calming public fear. Though the long-term consequences of the accident remain
subject to debate, a complete reactor meltdown was averted. Thornburgh also oversaw
the development of a comprehensive clean-up plan.

Thornburghs lieutenant
governor, William W. Scranton, III, narrowly lost the race to succeed him. Robert
P. Casey of Lackawanna County took office on January 20, 1987. The former governor
taught at Harvard University and directed its Institute of Politics from 1987
to1988, was appointed as U.S. attorney general and served from 1998 to 1991, and
served as undersecretary general of the United Nations from 1992 to 1993. He unsuccessfully
ran for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania in 1991and currently serves as counsel to
Kirkpatrick and Lockhart in Washington, D.C. Governor Thornburgh is married to
the former Virginia (Ginny) Judson and has four sons; Peter, David, and John,
and William.